Officially Over It: Shirley Caesar Files Lawsuit To Stop Violating Her Name With #UNameIt Challenge

Guess the party's over...

All good things must come to an end and that also pertains to the viral challenges that spread like wildfire across social media platforms. Leading up to Thanksgiving, the hottest Internet challenge was the #UNameItChallenge that featured the music and sermon of Shirley Caesar. Everyone who participated had fun with it and even Caesar herself said that she was flattered that she had been turned into a viral sensation. Well apparently feelings change because she has just filed a lawsuit to stop the challenge in its tracks once and for all.

If you’re a fan of the #UNameItChallenge you better watch your favorite videos as much as you can because Shirley Caesar has just filed a lawsuit that could erase the original source of the challenge forever. In a motion that demands that her name stop being violated without her consent or proper licensing, Shirley Caesar’s lawsuit officially puts an end to the #UNameItChallenge. The Grio has further details regarding the lawsuit, including who Caesar is suing specifically.

Via The Grio:

Shirley Caesar is suing DJ Suede in the wake of the #UNameItChallenge. Caesar claims that one of Suede’s videos is “violat[ing] the brand, image and name of a Christian pastor” because of its images of alcohol and other images used. Caesar’s lead attorney, James Walker, claims that Judge Glenda Hatchett agrees with Caesar’s claims that the song has cost her up to $5 million and that it jeopardized a deal that she was going into with Snoop Dogg, with the proceeds from such a project going to help the hungry.

“DJ Suede and his management were in conversations with her lawyer. They didn’t reach an agreement and they put it out anyway,” Hatchett said. While initially, the remix video was a hit with Caesar, the second video made by Suede had been put out without their knowledge, Walker claimed. “Unknown to us, he made the second video,” Walker said.

The injunction had been filed against DJ Suede, Jullian Boothe and Empire Distribution as Caeser tries to stop the video, which is being sold on iTunes. On the other hand, the video Snoop posted at the height of the craze was clean and had no lewd elements, and Caesar appreciated that version.

Well it was fun while it lasted. Many times artists have no knowledge of their work or likeness being used in viral memes or videos, so when you create one you have to be prepared that a warning and/or lawsuit could follow if the artist doesn’t agree with how their art or likeness is portrayed.